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As the title says, I am just getting underway with my first ever 40k army, the Death Korps of Krieg, modelled as the 143rd Siege Regiment. This thread is for my questions and anything else that might come up.

First, why the DKOK - very simple, I knew it would be them as soon as I found out about 40K. They are beautiful models, and I like the trench warfare, First World War aesthetic. Also, I like the idea of an army that is extremely distinctive, has a clear strategy which is interesting, and is not the usual mechanised Chimera-fest. This will be heavily an infantry army, with Grenadiers (storm troopers) and Engineers, lots of field artillery, and only a small amount of armoured vehicles (mainly Centaurs and a few other vehicles) with tanks split up as support for advancing infantry - simply, a Death Korps of Krieg, Siege Regiment army.
Thank you, wish me luck!

This is a good time for me to put my first question. To make a legal army, I need a rather daunting:
Command Squad
Platoon Command Squad x 2
Infantry Squad x4

That is a matter of money and time , but as a complete newbie (I am still reading the last of Vraks 3) I want advice on how to expand. I will get my own ideas, but just leaving this as an open question, any tips from old Krieg hands? This is pretty much a perpetual question, and lists of my suggestions will appear here, but I always want help if there is any to offer and will listen to opinions.

Colour scheme, for anyone who is interested (this has all been checked off against Siege of Vraks to confirm the units I say did actually did fight with the 143rd, yes I am that obsessive/sad about everything I do , and I can confirm everything here is utterly fluff-watertight) is that of the 143rd and the 7th Tank Regiment, part of which was attached to the 143rd, the rest fighting near it in the 8th Assault Korps, they could easily be together. Is it legal to scan pages of Siege of Vraks and put them up?

sounds like it will be awesome, i wanted to do DKOK but then i saw the cost... your models will look awesome on the tabeltop though, and i always wish many victories to fellow guard players!!!

Thank you! I hope I do get plenty of kills for the Emperor, and wish you the same luck!

Resurgam!
Sorry, have been out of action, must get stuck in now, as have just finished watching 'What a Lovely War!' and am very inspired to keep up with a WW1 styled army.

I am painting my own Korpsmen grey with grey and some grey along with browns for leather and Dheneb Stone for the boots/mask, pretty standard stuff.

They'll be the 5th regiment, remember to paint their regimental number on their RIGHT shoulder (Officers have their rank marks on their right shoulder however, so that's a pain)

If you want to reduce your costs a bit remember that a squad of Engineers with an Hades drill takes a unit choice

Don't the DKOK have the equivilent of veteran troopers? You'll want blobs eventually for the power fists they can give their sargents but 2 infantry squads is a lot easier and cheaper to start with than 4 infantry squads and 2 PCSs.

The engineers are their troops veteran, otherwise its the Grenadiers, who are elites.

My best advice on how to expand would be to peruse the Tactics subforum and post lists in the Army Lists subforum. That's probably the best way to start learning how your army works without actually hitting the tabletop. It will also keep you from potentially buying units that may not be particularly useful or effective, which considering the army you're starting with, will save you some coin. Conversely, if you're more of a hobbyist, buy what you like and what you'll paint and say to hell with having a competetive list.

Not to be a complete wet blanket, but I would never recommend that someone go with a Forgeworld army as their first 40K army. There's a laundry list of things that could potentially go pear-shaped on you, but I doubt I can dissuade you from your course

Lots of replies, so I'd better answer one at a time:
i) Thanks! Regimental numbers on the right, then...
ii) I hope to add in Grenadiers and Engineers, but an Engineer troop choice is pretty useful...
iii) Yup, you have no hope of dissuading me. I am completely bonkers, several sandwiches short of a picnic etc, and utterly determined to do Krieg. Thanks for the tactics tip though.